The House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs is set to meet with the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Hashimu Argungu, as part of efforts to resolve the face-off between the PSC and the Nigeria Police Force over the recent recruitment of 10,000 police constables.
The PSC, under its past Chairman, Solomon Arase, had recruited 10,000 constables for employment in the Nigeria Police, however, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, rejected the recruits, saying the process was fraught with corruption.
The police alleged that the names of some qualified candidates were dropped for others who did not qualify, a claim the PSC vehemently refuted.
The PSC also rejected the demand by the police to cancel the recruitment and conduct a fresh one.
The matter had gone before the House of Representatives, which on July 12 mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to investigate the crisis, following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by the member representing Ogbia Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State, Mitema Obordor.
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Obordor’s motion was titled, “Resolving the impasse: An urgent need to investigate and settle the lingering police recruitment dispute halting the 2023/2024 police recruitment.”
Giving an update on the issue in an exclusive chat with our correspondent on Monday, the chairman of the police committee, Abubakar Yalleman, disclosed that a meeting with the PSC chairman was in the offing.
He said, “This afternoon (Monday), I received a call from the newly appointed PSC Chairman, Mr Argungu, who was two weeks ago screened by the Senate. We are going to discuss with him as part of the steps to engage both parties, that is, the office of the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission.”
According to him, the panel is also awaiting a communique from its clerk to begin its assignment.
“We are yet to receive the communique from the clerk but even before the resolution of the House, both chambers of the National Assembly were determined to get to the root of the issue and settle it in the best interest of the country.”
Yalleman urged Nigerians to remain calm, promising that the legislative body would do everything to find lasting solutions to the country’s insecurity challenges.
